Sterilizer



H. B. TYLER F eb. 4, 1936.

STERILIZER Filed Jan. 15; 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 4, 1936. H. B, TYLER 2,029844 STERILIZER Filed Jan. l5, 1934 2 .'Shee'cs--Sheerl 2 I l y MMM/Mfg@ Patented Feb. 4, 1936 STERILIZEB Herbert B. Tyler, Berwyn, Ill., assigner of onehalf to Charles A. Pipenliagen, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 15, 1934, Serial No. 706,579

1 Claim.

My invention contemplates and provides a device which facilitates, simplies and improves the sterilization of nursing bottles and other receptacles.

The sterilizer of the present invention is characterized by a steam bell which has top and side walls but is open at its bottom to receive and trap steam created at and/or by the heated bottom of a liquid container in which the belll is partlally immersed. Rising from the top of the bell is a nozzle, or preferably a plurality of nozzles, arranged and adapted to discharge live steam from the bell upwardly against the bottom, sides and internal angles of inverted bottles or other re- 15 ceptacles disposed over and around the said nozzles.

The sterilizer preferably comprises suitable novel devices, as hereinafter described, for supporting the bottles or other receptacles over and 20 around the steam nozzles during the sterilizing operation, for preventing the development of objectionable pressure in the bell or the receptacles being sterilized, and to permit the ready draining of the receptacles after the completion of the 25 sterilizing operation, and for facilitating the sterilization of rubber nipples and other objects which, because of`size, shape or composition, are not adaptable for sterilization in the same manner as are nursing bottles and other generally 30 similar receptacles.

ne of the incidental, but nevertheless novel and meritorious features, of the present invention is a special receptacle for use in steriiizing nurs ing nipples and the like, such special receptacle 35 comprising as a part thereof a funnel which is particularly adapted for use in filling nursing bottles, said funnel being itself thoroughly sterilized as and when it performs its function as a part of the sterilizing equipment.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following d-etailed description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig 1 is a top plan view of my improved steri- 45 lizer,-this view showing a portion of the apertured receptacle supporting plate broken away to facilitate clearness in illustration;

Fig. 2 illustrates the sterilizer, as employed in conjunction with either a deep or shallow water 50 containing vessel for sterilizing a plurality of nursing bottles;

Fig. 3 ls a fragmentary sectional View which may be regarded as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, this view showing a nursing bottleof the nar- 55 row neck type in positionfor sterilization;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view which may be regarded as taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, this view showing a nursing bottle of the no neck type in position for sterilization;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view which, so far as the elements shown in Figs 1 and 2 are concerned, may be regarded as taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l, this view illustrating a practical form of rubber nipple receptacle which is so disposed upon and with relation to the sterllizer as to effect sterilization of the nipples; and

Fig. 6 is a view generally similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating that preferred form of nipple receptacle which comprises as a functioning part thereof a bottle funnel which itself is thoroughly sterilized as and when performing its function as 4a. part of the nipple sterilizing equipment.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Reference will first be made to Figs. land 2.

At I0 I have indicated a metal bell which is providedwith top and side walls, II and I2, respectively, and is open at its bottom. I prefer that the bell shall be circular in plan and relatively shallow, as shown. These, however, are not vital considerations.

Pressed upwardly from the bell top I I is a plurality of equi-distantly spaced hollow bosses I3, each of which conveniently has the shapeof a truncated sphere, and is provided with a central aperture into which is fitted the lower end of a. metal nozzle I4. Each of said nozzles is conveniently provided near its lower end withan outwardly pressed annular bead I5 which bears against the outer surface of its associated hollow boss I3, the lower extremity of the nozzle being peened or spun against the inner surface of the boss, securely to rivet the nozzle in position (see Fig. 3).

Pressed upwardly from the bell top II are the beads I6 and I`I,-the beads I8 being formed on the bosses I3 and the beads I1 being formed in the bell top portions which lie between the central boss I3 and the others of said bosses. The beads I1 may be, and preferably are, continuations of boss beads I6 with which they are in alignment.v

Rising from the bell top I I is a plurality (prefl crably 3) vertical metal posts I8, each of which is shouldered to provide a reduced lower extremity which extends through and is riveted against removal from a suitable aperture in the bell top as shown. The upper ends of the said posts are similarly shouldered, reduced and riveted into a horizontally disposed metal plate I9 which lis provided with a plurality of circular openings 20. Each of the said apertures 20 is preferably concentric or substantially concentric with the axis of one of the nozzles I4.

In utilizing the sterilizer of my invention the bell thereof is placed in a suitable pan or other container 2|, in which water may be heated in any suitable manner, but preferably by the application of heat to the exterior of the bottom thereof. The container 2i should contain Water to a depth somewhat less than the interior height of the bell.

The receptacles to be sterilized, for instance nursing bottles 22 and 23 as shown, are inverted and placed in and upon the sterilizer as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Each bottle is passed through one of the apertures 20 of the supporting plate I9, with its mouth receiving one of the upwardly projecting nozzles I4. In the case of a narrow neck bottle of the kind shown in Fig. 3, the bottle mouth rests directly upon the beads I6 of one of the bosses I3. In the case of the neckless bottle shown in Fig. 4, the bottle mouth may wholly receive the boss I3. Nevertheless, even in this instance, one of the beads I1 prevents the bottle mouth from having a tight t with the bell top II. The beads I of the several nozzle carrying bosses I3 similarly prevent the mouths of the narrow neck bottles from tightly fitting the bosses upon which they rest. Thus I insure against any excess pressure being built up within the sterilizer bell and the bottles, even though every one of the steam nozzles I4 be in use when the sterilizer is operated. Furthermore, by preventing the bottle mouths from sealing themselves against the bell top or the hollow bosses, as the case may be, I insure that the bottles will properly drain When left on the sterilizer to cool after the performance of the sterilizing operation.

With the several bottles disposed and supported as shown, the heating of the bottom of the container I2 results in the rapid creation of live steam in the upper portion of the bell,-this steam rising, due to its own pressure, through the several nozzles I4, and being by the latter directed against the bottom, sides and interior angles of' the bottles thoroughly to. sterilize the same, and to bring all parts of the bottles to a sterilizing temperature.

While the sterilizer. of my invention may be used in connection with a water heating container of any suitable size, I prefer that such container shall be relatively deep, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, to guard against the bottles being cooled by lateral air currents during the sterilizing operation.

The sterilizer under discussion is particularly advantageous because it more or less violently discharges live steam into all of those interior angles and corners of the bottle bottom in which germ and bacteria-developing matter, invisible to the eye, has a tendency to accumulate.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated one type of nipple receptacle which may form a part of the sterilizing equipment of the present invention. 'I'his nipple receptacle conveniently comprises an inverted Mason jar 24, having a mouth of such external diameter that it may be inserted into any of the supporting plate apertures 20 as shown. The jar preferably comprises an external annular shoulder or bead 25, which rests on the plate lil to support lthe jar in the position depicted in Fig. 5. The jar cap, indicated at 26, is provided with a central opening 21 through which one of the steam nozzles I4 is adapted to discharge. 'I'he said cap 2B also is provided with a series of peripheral apertures 28. Having its base flange secured to the inner surface of the cap, and having its axis in alignment with 'the aperture 21. is a hollow metal cone 29, this cone being provided with a multiplicity of small apertures 30. At 3| I have shown several nipples which have been placed in the jar for the purpose of sterilization.

In the operation of the sterilizer, and with the nipple receptacle positioned as shown in Fig. 5. the steam is directed from the associated nozzle I4 through aperture 21 into the cone 29,-this steam finding its way 'through the cone apertures 30 thoroughly to sterilize the nipples and all oi the inner surfaces of the nipple container. The excess steam, as well as water of condensation which forms within the Jar during and after the operation of the sterilizer, escapes through the peripheral apertures 28 of the jar cap.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated another and preferred utilization of a Mason jar for the sterilization of rubber nipples or the like. In this instance the external threads of the inverted jar are engaged by the internal threads of an annular collar 32,-this collar being integrally connected, by an annular web 33, with the greater diameter portion of a two-cone funnel 34. The funnel, except for the fact that it carries the web 33 and the collar 32, is or may be substantially like any small metal funnel of the kind commonly employed in the filling of nursing bottles and the like. Attention is directed to the fact that the annular web 33 is provided with a multiof the Mason jar by that one of the steam nozzles I4 which lies beneath and adjacent to the larger end of the funnel. Excess steam and water of condensation escapes. from the jar through the apertures 35.

Having thus illustrated and described my improved sterilizer and certain accessories thereto, and with the realization that many of the details shown and described may be varied or eliminated Without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A bottle sterilizer comprising a steam bell having the general shape of an inverted open pan adapted to be placed in any boiling vessel to collect steam formed therein, a plurality of tubular nozzles projecting upwardly from said pan in spaced relation, and a bottle-supporting plate rigidly mounted upon said pan in spaced relation thereto, said plate having openings concentric with said nozzles adapted to permit inverted bottles to be applied to the sterilizer with the nozzles entering thereinto through the bottle necks and with the extremities of the bottles in contact with the pan, said pan being provided with upwardly bellied portions around each nozzle and said bellied, portions being provided with radial ribs to provide free drainage of liquid from the inverted bottles.

HERBERT B. TYLER. 

